Saddle for car running-boards.



J. H. DOWNER.

SADDLE FOR GAR RUNNING BOARDS.

APPLICATION FILED 11017.28, 1910.

Patented Dec.26, 1911.

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26 .5. witnesses. {0

UNlTElE Sll llllfi FAQ-Kidd JOHN H. DWNER, OE COL'ION, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNGE O35 ONE-FGUB-TI-E TO EIQWIN H.

VAIIDEBMAEK, OF COL'ION, AND ONE-FOURTH CALKEORNIA, AND ONE-FOURTH T0 LUTHER L. YATES T9 BQBERT '1". BUBDETTE, 39TH 9E L05 ANG'ELES, CALIFQRNZA.

QADIDLE 335?. GAR EUNNIIXGr-IBOABDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 28, 1910.

Eatented Dec. 2353, 375ml.

Serial No. 594.422.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. Downnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colton county of San Bernardino, State of alitornia. have invented new and useful Improvements in Saddles for Car Running- Boards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad cars and particularly to the construction and support of walks or root platforms therefor, being similar to that described and claimed by me in an application filed Oct. 10, 1910, Serial No. 586,209.

The invention is particularly designed for use in connection with longitudinally disposed planks such as are comnioi ly employed on the roots of freightcars.

It is an object of the invention among other things to provide a saddle and means adjustably mounted thereon running boards of the walk or platform under tension.

It is a further object of the invention to provide clamping means upon the said saddle which are capable of engaging the boards in such a manner that they cannot slip or move longitudinally with respect. to the saddle.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in such novel constructions, combinations, parts as will be hereinafter and claimed.

In the drawing forming a part oi this specification. F igure 1 is a perspective view of a portion ota car root showing the improved saddle mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the saddle and showing the planks gripped in position thereon. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the saddle, the said saddle being removed from the car-root. Fig. l is a detail perspective view of one of the gripping jaws employed in connection with thesaddle, the jaw shown in this view being an outside one. Fig. 5 is a similar detail perspective view of an intermediate jaw removed from the housing or boxing of the saddle. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the spring clamping plate in side elevation.

In the accompanying illustration 1' have shown the pre'lerred form or? my m ro ed fully described for holding the.

and arrangements o't'\ l saddle and will describe the same more particularly, reference being had thereto.

The saddle comprises a body'portion 1 made to fit upon its under side upon the upper surface oi the roof of the car to which it. is applied and for this purpose it is usually inclined upwardly toward the center as shown in Figs. 1 2 of the drawing. The said bod portion l is generally made in the form of a hollow boxing or housing which is usually closed at. one end as at 2 and the other end of the said housing is made open as at The housing is provided with inwardly extending' flanges ii and at the top., extent. 3 approximately the entire length of the housing. The elongated slot- 6 formed between these flanges is adapted to receive movable plank gripping jaws as will behereinafter described. At the closed end 2 of the housing the end wall is extended upwardly above the top of the housing a sufficient distance to form a gripping jaw 7. Said fixed jaw 7 is provided will an inturned plank gripping edge 8 which is capable of embedding itself in the edge of the plank for holding it from becoming displaced. In order to prevent longitudinal movement of the plank with respect to the jaw said jaw is also provided with projecting detents or teeth as 9 which are also in position to embed themselves in the edge of the wall; plank. Une or more intermediate jaws as 1i"; are employed and are movably mounted in place within the saddle housing 1. These intermediate jaws are preferably made so as to it within the housing and are provided with recesses 11 upon their opposite edges which are adapted to lit and slide upon the iianges 4E and 5 of housing. I or ends of said jaws are elo to rest upon the upper flanges 4 and 5 as clearly 1. Near the upperedge eaeh are formed laterally eirteridin gaging edges as 12 there being" pre one, of said gripping edges extending from cash -face ot the said intern e *e jaw it These gripping a e planks of the car wall: or .tl orin as the edge 8 hereto-{ore described. terniediate jaws 10 are also provided with on ositelv lash en enders einte:

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or detents ildpthere being preferably two of said oints on each o'f the opposite facesof said intermediate jaws.

At the open end'ot the housing 1 a re' "movable jaw 14 is employed which is generally made to closely lit the contour of the open end of said housing 1 as clearly indiagainst the said jaw. All of the jaws are provided with apertures in their body portions through which a securing rod or bolt 18 is passed for holding the jaws in such a position as to grip and firmly hold the planks that are interposed between them.

The intermediate jaws are usually" inserted in position by turning them flat-wise with respect to the slot 6 of the housing untiltheir head portions are brought down to the upper surface of the flanges 4 and 5. The said jaws are then turned transversely with respect to the housing and the boards or planks l9 and 20 and 21 are placed in position between the said jaws as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The movable mounting of the intermediate jaws and of the end jaw i l permits of the jaws being separated sutficientlyto receive the planks between them, the plank 19 being forced against the fixed jaw '7. The jaws are then drawn together against the edges of planks by means of the bolt 18 and the end nut 22 applied to the threaded portion thereof. Since there is always considerable expansion and contraction in the planking used in such walks or doors it is found desirable to supply the saddle devices with means "for accommodating the parts to their expansion and shrinkage. For this purpose a spring plate 23 is applied to the bolt 18 just inside of the fixed head at of said bolt. The said spring 23 is preterablyot" the flat type bowed sufficiently to exert 'a constant pressure against the head 24 of the bolt 18. lhe said plate is perforated asat 25 so that it may he slipped upon the bolt -18 before it is put into position.

it will be evident that when the bolt 18 is drawn up by the nut 22 and-the jaws are forced tightly against the planks that the spring 23 will be in position to exert a constant pressure against the head of the bolt 24: and tend to draw all of the movable jaws with planks between them toward the fixed jaw 7. By tightening the nut 22 sufficiently to somewhat compress the spring 23, the said spring will be capable of taking up all shrinkage occurring in the planks and prevent any of the said planks-or the mov-' able jaws from becoming loose. The points or detents 9, 13 and 17 are important in orena? that they are found very edect-ive for preventing any longitudinal movement in the planks and also further assist in gripping the said planks in conjunction with the grip ping edges 8, 12 and 16.

In order to facilitate the securing of the saddle in place ugzm the top or root of a car the body portion thereot is termed with lateral projections 26 and 27 which are peran elongated hollow body portion, movable plank gripping jaws capable of fitting into said body portion, and means for drawing them together to grip the planking;

2. A device of the class described comprising a hollow elongated housing open.

at one end and closed at the other, movable jaws capable of sliding into said body portion, and means for drawing them together to 3.

the planking. saddle comprising an elongated hollow housing, having a slot in its upper wall and provided'with a fixed jaw at one end, a movable jaw mounted in the. other end, intermediate jaws arranged within said housing and a bolt passing through the housing and the said jaws for causing the jaws to clamp planking in position between them.

d. A saddle comprising an elongated hollow body portion closed at one end and having inturned flanges at its upper edges,

movable jaws arranged to engage the slot.

between said flanges and having head portions adapted to rest thereon, plank gripping means projecting from the side faces of said jaws, and means for clamping the jaws against the planking.

5. A saddle of the class described coinprising'a body portion having fixed and movable jaws, a bolt for holding the movable jaws in position, and means for exerting a spring pressure upon said bolt to accommodate the expansion and contraction in the parts.

tj. lllsaddle of the 'class described comprising a body portion, and plank gripping jaws carried thereby and having gripping means projecting therefrom capable of preventing vertical longitudinal movement ofthe planks with respect to the parts of the saddle.

';7. A saddle of the class described comprising a body portion carrying fixed and movabl'e jaws, laterally extending gripping edges formed upon said jaws and laterally projecting points or detents also projecting from said jaws, and means for drawing the movable jaws against the plank.

8. A saddle oi the class-described oomprising a housing formed with a fixed jaw, movable jaws mounted in said housing and tension controlled 'means for clamping said jaws against suitable planking.

9. A walk for a car root comprising in combination with suitable planking, a trans versely arranged saddle having a fixed jaw and movable jaws, a bolt for drawing the said jaws against the planking and a spring plate arranged betweeirthe head of said bolt and the end of the housing for holding the parts together under tension.

10. A saddle having an elongatedbody with a fixed jaw at one end thereof, a movable jaw at the other end thereof, said being adapted to engage the outside edges jaws adapted o engage the adjacent edges of the planks rming the walk, and means for adjusting slid movable jaw.

11. A saddle of the class described comprising an elongated body having a fixed jaw at one end thereof, a movable aw at the other end, intermediate jaws engaging said body retained thereby and disposed between the adjacent edges of the planks, and means for, advancing said movable jaw to clamp the planks.

12. A, walk for a car root comprising in combination, a transversely disposed saddle of the planks gunning a walk, intermediate having jaws near the ends thereof, planks laid on said saddle, the outer edges of said planks engaging said jaws and retained thereby, intermediate jaws disposed between the adjacent edges of said planks, and means for moving said jaws to clamp said planks therebetween.

13. A running board saddle, comprising a main body or casting having a supporting flange, and a laterally adjustable clamp for engaging the outside edge of a board.

1 1. A running board saddle having a body portion, and end clamp jaws for the outside edges of the boards, the jaws having a positive connection with the body for preventing vertical movement of the jaws.

15. A running board saddle, comprising a main body or ca-stinghaving a flange tor-supporting a board, an integral clip for engaging one edge of the board and a laterally adjustable clamp for engaging'the other edge of the board.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of November, 1910.

JOHN H. DOYVNER.

N. B. FARRAR. 

